Long Live The Boleyn

Thu - 07/12/17

7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Stour Space, 7 Roach Road, Hackney Wick, London, E3 2PA

Event Details

Freddie Bonfanti is a London based photographer, West Ham supporter and season ticket holder. During the last year at Upton Park he decided to start documenting the match day routine inside and outside the ground, trying to archive as many photos as he could, knowing that it would all end very soon.

The iconic black and white shot of the ground, taken from his seat in the Bobby Moore Lower after the Liverpool match in the FA cup, was and still is considered to be the most iconic photograph representing the fans during the 2015/16 season.

The project was a labour of love, self described as “from a fan, for the fans” taking a very personal and fan led approach to matchday photography. From the patches of grass on nearby estates to the local boozers, the intimate photographs document a true matchday routine that football fans from up and down the country can relate to.

In an era of crumbling stadiums and new homes, many creative fans are exploring new ways to document their personal experiences. It’s a difficult time for any fan to leave their historic home, but creative output such as Bonfanti’s are a collective and individual immortalisation of what shouldn’t be forgotten.

The book is a precious memory of what the club once was. It’s a trip down to memory lane.